Track instrument.



l. S. ROMIG.

TRACK INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED oc.3|.x914.

1,155,373. Patented oct. 5,1915.

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TRACK INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION man ocT. 31. |914.

" 1,155,373. Patented 0015.51915.

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T 0 By A TTORNEV JOHN STUART EOMIG, 0F ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA TRACK INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Application tiled October 31, 1914. Serial No. 889,541.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that LIJOHN STUART Roule, a citizen of the United States, residin at Altoona, in the county of Blair and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented a Track Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a track instrument for automatic signals and its primary object is to provide simple and efficient means adapted to be operated by the load on the rails to operate a crossing or other signal.

In the preferred construction, a cross bar is secured to the rails between adjacent ties, an auxiliary bar is connected at one end by a vertical arbor with the cross bar and at the other end by trunnions with the upper ends of links having their lower ends journaled on trunnions carried by a swivel on a piston rod, a piston having a member fixed to the rod and rocking wings provided with contacts for making and breaking an electric circuit of a signaling system, and a cylinder containing aliquid in' which the piston reciprocates, the liquid operating the wings to control the circuit. But it will be understood that the invention may be variously modified in details of construction and operation within the scope of the claims forming part of this specification.

The characteristic features of the invention are fully disclosed in the following de-v scription and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a section of track having my instrument applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of a track showing the instrument in elevation; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a layout in which the instrument is adapted to be used; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken through the axis of the cylinder of the instrument; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the `line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a detached wing; and Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a universal joint for connecting the auxiliary bar with the piston rod.

As shown in the drawings, rails 1 supported by ties 2 have a cross bar 3 fixed beneath them to the bases thereof by the clips 4, the cross bar being insulated from the rails and clips by non-conducting material 5 where such rails are used as electrical conductors.

An auxiliary bar 6 has at one end thereof` a bearing 7 pivoted in the bearing 8, at an end of the bar 3, by a vertical arbor 9, the other end of the auxiliar bar having a bent arm 10 fixed thereto. runnions 11 on the arm 10 have pivoted thereon the upper ends of the links 12 which are engaged at their lower ends on trunnions 13 carried by a swivel I4. The swivel is sleeved on the top of a vertical rod 15 havin a bearing 16 and a journal 17 for revolub y supporting the swivel bearing 18-which is held in place by a- Washer 19 and nut 20.

A cylinder 21 is provided with a top 22 having a hollow stem 23 through which the rod 15 is adapted to reciprocate, the cylinder having in the top thereof a disk 24 held in engagement with the bearings 25 to provide a tight closure for preventing the escape of liquid.

A cross piece 26 is fixed to the rod 15 within the cylinder and has substantially the length of the cylinders diameter, being provided with-the parallel top and bottom bearings 27. Wings 28, preferably in the form lof circular segments, are provided with the bearings 29 which normally engage the bearings 27, these wings being connected through the cross piece 26 and normally held horizontally in contact therewith by the coiled springs 30. Conducting bars 31 are fixed to the tops and bottoms of the wings and resilient contacts 32 are fixed to these bars, which are connected electrically and mechanically by bolts 33. Flexible conductors 34, preferably covered with bead insulating material, connect the conducting bars 31, through the bolts 33, with the bolts 35, which pass through the insulating plug 36 and the sealing composition 37 to the conductors 38 and 39.

It will be understood that as rolling stock passes over the rails 1, between the ties 2, the rails will be depressed so that the bars 3 and 6 will ordinarilyl be moved downwardly. If, for any reason, one rail goes downfarther than the other or there isan unequal movement of the rails, the arm 10 will be moved either downwardly or upwardly and will act through the links 12 and swivel 14 to move the rod 15 longitudinally. The downward movement of the rod 15 moves the cross piece 26 downwardly' and causes the wings 28 to turn .upwardly vabout the upper'bea'rings 27, due to the resistance of the liquid in the cylinder 21, and this action of the wings brings the upper contact 32 into engagement so as to close the circuit sov ailicomprising the conductors 34, the use of two sets of contacts providing a more certain and a balanced action. If the rod 15 moves upwardly, the resistance of the liquid in the cylinder 21 rocks the wings 28 downwardly around the lower bearings 27 and effects the engagement -of the two setsof lower con- ,tacts 32, whereby the circuit containing the conductors 34i's closed. The springs 30 and the movement' ofthe rails tonormal position both act to bring the wings 28 to their normal position and, in the normally open .circuit used by way of illustration, separate the contacts. Y

Any source of electric energy, as a battery 40, may be used to supply current through the circuit comprising the conductors 38 and 39 connected by the track instrument described, which is designated generally by the numeral 41. An electro-magnet`42, having its winding in the conductor 38is provided with an armature 43connected with the conductor 39 bythe conductor 44, the armature being adapted for engaging a contact 45 to close a circuit comprislng a conductor 46 connected with the conductor 38 and containing a bell 47 and a parallel circuit comprising a conductor 48 connected with the conductor 38y and containing a second track instrument 41.

When a train operates the instrument 41, on the left of Fig. 3, and closes the circuit comprising the conductors 38 and 39, the electromagnet 42 is excited and the armature 43 is attracted thereby to engage the contact 45, which closes the circuit containing the conductor 46 and the bell 47, current now flowing through the conductor 46 to sound the bell 47. -Upon the opening of the switch 41, which has been closed by the passing train, the armature 43 continues in engagement with the contact 45, since current liows from the battery 40 through the conductor 44, armature 43, conductor 48 and electroma et 42k back to the battery, and the bell 4 will continue to ring since part of the current flowing through the armature 43 will return to the battery by way of the conductor46 containing the bell. When the passing train reaches the open instrument on.

the rightof Fig. 3, at the crossing 49, such instrument is operated to -close the circuit comprising the conductor 48, which cuts out the electro-magnet 42, releasing the armature 43 and breaking the circuit comprising the conductor 46 containing the bell 47 and the circuit comprising the conductor 48 containing the instrument 41.

' Having described my invention, I claim:

' instrument comprising a liquid receptacle,

" 'ated by said means, and mechanisnii consaid rails, an auxiliary bar connected with 1. The combination with a track, of an Maasaanecting said track and means whereby the latter is reciprocated.

2. The combination with a track, of an instrument comprising av liquid receptacle, means comprising circuit making and breaking mechanism movable in and operated by liquid in said receptacle, a signal, mechanism whereby said circuit making and breaking means operates said signal, and mechanismV connecting said track and said means first named for operating the latter.

3. The combination withv a track, of a receptacle containing a liquid, mechanism comprising circuit making and breaking means adapted to reciprocate in said receptacle, a rod for reciprocating said mechanism, and means connecting said rod and track whereby the latter is adapted to reciprocate the former.

4. The combination with a track comprising rails',- a bar connected with one of said rails and adapted to be moved thereby, a piston rod connected with said bar and adapted by said member, and a vessel containing a liquid in whichsaid member is reciprocated by said rod, whereby said member is oscillated.

6'. The combination with a track comprising a pair of rails, a cross bar xed to said rails, an auxiliary bar connected with said cross bar by a laterally movable joint, a reciprocating rod, means for connecting said auxiliary bar and rodfiexibly, a member connected in fulcrumed relation to said rod, a spring for holding said member in normal position, circuit making and breaking mechanism comprising a contact operated by said member, and a vessel containing a liquid in wlich said member is reciprocated by said ro Y.

7. The combination lwith a 'track comprising a pair of rails, of a cross bar fixed to said cross bar, a reciprocating rod, means for flexibly connecting said auxiliary bar and rod, a pair of wings connected in fulcrumed relation to said rod, a spring for holding said wingsin normal relation, circuit making and breaking mechanism carried by said wings, and a vessel containing a liquid in which said rod moves said wings,

whereby said circuit making and breaking ,mechanism is operated. 130

8. The combination with a track, of a receptacle containing a liquid, a piston adapted to be reciprocated in said receptacle, said piston having fulcrumed wings and one or more springs for holding them in normal relation, circuit making and breaking mechanism carried by said wings and operated by the movement thereof, and means whereby the movement of said track moves said piston.

9. The combination with a track comprising rails, a cross bar connected with said rails, an auxiliary bar connected in laterally movable relation to said cross bar so as to be movable by either of said rails by a load thereon, a rod, a universal joint connecting said auxiliary bar and rod, a cross piece fixed to said piston rod, a pair of wings fulcrumed on said cross piece, resilient means for holding said wings in normal relation to .said cross piece, contacts of circuit making and breaking mechanism carried by said wings and operated by movement thereof relative to said cross bar, and a vessel containing a liquid by which said wings are movable relatively to` said cross piece upon the movement of said rod.

10. The combination with a track, of a vessel containing a liquid, a reciprocating rod having a bearing in said vessel, a cross piece ixed to said rod in said vessel, Wings respectively provided with parallel bearings relative to said cross piece, coiled springs connecting said wings through said cross piece whereby said wings are held in their normal positions, contacts connected with the opposite faces of the respective Wings, said contacts being opened and closed by the oscillation of said Wings relatively to said cross piece due to the resistance of said liquid, conductors connected with the respective contacts, and a signal system connected with said conductors.

11. An instrument comprising a vessel containing a liquid, a member adapted to be reciprocated in said vessel and having a device adapted to be moved by the resistance of said liquid, a pair of contacts one of which is movable by said device into and out of engagement with the other, and means for reciprocating said member in said vessel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this th day of October, 1914, in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN STUART ROMIG.

Witnesses:

Jos. G. DENNY, Jr., C. N. BUTLER. 

